


Dark Days

by OctoBitch (Octolottie)



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Abuse, Sexual Content, more to come - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-24
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2018-01-20 15:32:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 16,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1515656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Octolottie/pseuds/OctoBitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dave Strider is sent to purchase trolls from an auction, who will be given the option to either be returned to the auction house, or to work in his brother's brothel until their price is paid off, and then freed. In a culture where trolls are treated as property and painted by the government to be a 'subservient race that requires discipline', Dave purchases a troll that's seen a bit too much. Tavros is a horribly abused amputee, abandoned to the auction house by a cruel owner. Dave helps him to recover, and in caring for him, learns just how wrong the public view on trolls is. He and his brother work to help get trolls to better situations while Dave tries to start and maintain a relationship with a very damaged Tavros. </p><p>Rating explicit for violence, dark themes, mention of past non-con and rape, sexual abuse, and eventual smut- some romantic, some not so much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Aquisition.

Shaded eyes looked out over the main stage, and already Dave regretted being there. His brother owned a high class brothel, among other investments, so the sale of pleasure was nothing new to him, but this joint was anything but classy. The small building was well known among the city's elite as a place for trafficking. Anything a guy could want, drugs, pleasure, and most recently, trolls. The creatures had made something of a crash landing a few decades back, and had settled in as just another minority, but the laws still hadn't caught up. These things weren't human, so laws regarding 'human trafficking' didn't apply. The end result? They could be purchased as exotic pets to those with more... exotic tastes.  
  
Exotic tastes were something of a specialty for his brother's brothel, although unlike this shit hole, his brother kept staff, not servants, all willing, and all paid. More recently though he'd taken to purchasing trolls, stocking up on what was a growing fetish. It worked out for everyone, the patrons were eager for new toys, and the trolls were housed, fed, and cared for- free to leave as soon as they had paid back what was spent to 'rescue' them. The way Dirk justified it, they would be put through worse if sold to someone else, he gave them a way out.  
  
Dave wasn't so sure, but it seemed to be going well. If only his brother hadn't made it his job to make the purchases. He shifted in his seat as the lights dimmed further and the stage lit up. He fingered the plastic in his hands- it was a silent auction, each bid topped by a set amount when the button was pressed. He was supposed to be bringing back a troll of each gender, and a third if he was able to get a good deal. The auction began, and he kept his expression in check as the first troll was brought on stage. A blue blood male, bound tightly, and clearly drugged, was dragged out and displayed. It wasn't uncommon, the trolls were generally stronger than humans, and until they were properly trained, would usually try to fight back. Campaigns ran trying to convince the public that the trolls were a subservient species that required instruction and discipline, and enjoyed work, but he didn't buy it.  
  
They were clever, they could learn English, and they seemed perfectly sentient... although it was hard to say since they had been government contained in camps until recent years. The blueblood was pulled off the stage to the holding room once the bidding ended, and new troll was brought up. This one, nude and battered as they all were, was a female jade blood. From the looks of it, they hadn't bothered to drug her, and she seemed to comply with the orders she was given- at least until they started getting lewd. She protested when the auctioneer ordered her to spread her legs and show the crowd the 'goods'. Dave was glad for the shades, allowing him to shut his eyes to the events on stage as he heard the blows land. When the noise stopped and he opened his eyes, the troll was sporting several new bruises and had gone limp as the auctioneer held her by the collar, showing her off to potential buyers. The bidding started, and Dave bid for her. She would do well at the club, and she seemed put together enough to have a chance on her own when the price was repaid. Any troll who objected to the club was either offered work where it was available, or returned.  
  
A few more were brought up, and Dave place the winning bid on a 'mutant'. He wasn't sure why a weird blood color made the troll so 'undesirable' for his bidders, but Dave was the only bid, and he wasn't about to pass up a deal like that. It meant he'd be able to bring home a third. The next couple of trolls weren't a good match. One, an indigo, had to be taken of stage and sedated, and another showed signs of illness, and Dave wasn't about to risk bringing back a troll just to have it die on him.  
  
The next one brought up left an uneasy feeling in Dave's stomach. An orange blood male that looked like he'd been put through a bull run. The troll was sporting more bruises and scarring than Dave had ever seen on a troll, and his wide horns were marred with hooked metal bands, which his wrists were cuffed to. Dave struggled to maintain his poker face and ignore the rage that stirred in his stomach. The troll was advertised as already being well trained, and the auctioneer made a point of showing off the nubs where his legs had been amputated at mid thigh. Dave could only hope the amputations had been an accident and not something his previous owner had done to him, but from the sound of things.... well... he didn't want to know. He cringed as the troll's mouth was forced open, showing off pink lips, then turned and bent over the auctioneer's knee to show off much more personal assets. Once he'd given his sale's pitch the troll was dropped in an unceremonious heap on the stage as the bidding started. Dave knew it was a bad idea, the troll looked like his spirit was completely broken, it would need medical attention, and the brothel didn't support fetishes that were harmful to it's employees- but Dave couldn't leave the poor thing to some new creep's mercy. The high bid climbed, and Dave kept adding, gripping the plastic tight enough that it was a wonder it didn't crack. He'd gotten a deal on the mutant, his brother wouldn't be too upset... the bid climbed higher still... alright, this would be coming out of his pay most likely, but each time he was outbid he clicked the button again, topping it, until finally whoever was bidding against him gave up.  
  
He relaxed back into his chair, watching as the next troll was brought on stage. He was out, but it was bad form to leave before the auction ended. When the final bids were cast and it was over, he made his way to the holding area, swiping a gold card to pay for the trolls before they were brought out. They were each wearing a thick leather collar, sporting the name of the seller. All of them were bound, the girl merely had her hands cuffed behind her back, and the mutant, who seemed less than agreeable, had been gagged and his arms were tied together, restricting their motion entirely. It was the amputee that made Dave cringe, they literally wheeled him out in a shopping cart like the object he was being sold as. Dave scoffed, “That's hardly necessary.” He said as he lifted the troll over his shoulder.  
  
The creature was starved, and missing his legs- hardly a challenge to carry. The other two were hooked onto a leash and they were led outside to the limo that awaited Dave, escorted by one of the employees to ensure the trolls didn't try for an escape. Dave set the troll he was carrying on the seat, propping him up against the window before motioning for the other two to climb in. They both settled on the floor of the car- it was generally accepted that trolls didn't belong on the furniture unless they were put there. From the looks of it, the jade blood was trained, she knelt neatly on the floor, tucked into the edge of the seat in a subtle attempt at modestly, chittering something to the mutant when he tried to move to the seat. Whatever she had said seemed to catch his attention, because although he grumbled, he settled next to her, cross legged, and unashamed of his lack of clothing.  
  
Again though, it was the orange blood that drew his attention. It just sat there, staring blankly out the window. Had they drugged it? Or was he damaged? “Hey, look at me.” He said, grabbing it's chin and pulling his face forward to see his eyes. He was a bit relieved to be met with a look of terror- at least it was something other than that blank face. He let go, allowing the troll to fall back against the seat as the limo started.  
  
“Any of you speak English?” He asked, looking between them and pulling the gag from the mutant's mouth so he could answer. The jade blood looked up at him, hesitating for a moment.  
  
“Yes... some.” She replied softly, her words carrying a flourish of accent.  
  
“And you can translate for them?” He questioned, earning another nod. He explained where they were headed, and what would be expected of them, giving each the opportunity to opt to be returned, but as usual, none of them wanted to go back. The jade blood seemed to understand the situation just fine, and was smart enough to see the opportunity in it, and the mutant, while chittering angrily, settled down after the jade blood calmed him- the general result seeming to be that anything was better than going back to the auction house.  
  
“He... ah... he will not speak.” The jade blood said carefully, gesturing to the amputee. “No answer, he does not seem aware I speak to him.”  
  
Dave nodded, casting a wordless glance at the limp figure on the seat next to him before he pulled open the envelope he'd been given by the auction house, detailing each purchase. He pulled the key for the cuffs, “I'm going to take those off of you for now, I don't think they're necessary. I have no desire to hurt any of you, but I am armed and this is the only warning you'll get.” He said firmly as they started the drive home. He motioned for her to come, and she carefully made her way to him, only stumbling when the limo stopped suddenly for a light. He undid the cuffs and handed her a bottle of water. “Share it with him, I'm not undoing those bonds yet.” He said, gesturing to the mutant.  
  
The trip was uneventful and quiet from there, and when the limo came to a stop, he ushered the two from the floor out of the car and into the club. He spoke with his brother for a few minutes, going over what he had bought. As he expected, his brother wasn't happy about his third purchase, but the fact that one of the trolls knew English seemed to make up for it, at least a little bit. The visit was short lived, only dropping off the trolls that would be working in the brothel, and then he slid back into the limo with the last troll (who seemed to have fallen asleep), to be taken home.


	2. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave gets the troll cleaned up and down for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning for the squeemish, a bit of a detailed description of a wound. 
> 
> There will be more actual interaction in the next chapter, promise. ^_^'

When the limo stopped again, he carried the troll inside the small house, making his way down the hall to his room. He flipped on lights as he went, before bringing his new pet into the master bath. He fumbled one handed with a towel that he spread on the counter before setting the troll in it. “Hey, you with me little man?” He asked, “I'm going to get you cleaned up and treat some of these wounds, it might sting a bit here and there, but I'm not out to hurt you, alright?” The response he got was only a dead eyed stare. 

He sighed, grabbing a wash cloth from the drawer and running the water until it was hot. He left the cuffs on for now, it kept the trolls arms out of the way while he cleaned off the dried blood and the dirt from the auction house. The troll flinched now and then when he brushed over still sensitive areas, but for the most part, he just sat still, looking dazed. Dave rinsed the rag a few times until the troll's gray skin was a shade lighter and some of the wounds had started to bleed again. He pulled the med kit from under the sink and set to work treating the wounds and bandaging whatever needed it before finally pulling out the key to the cuffs. He removed them one at a time, taking a moment to wash each wrist where the cuffs had bit into the trolls skin. The brownish looking bruises on his wrists looked painful, and with each dab of the cloth the troll tried weakly to pull away. “I know, I know, just bare with me here...” He assured as he wrapped the broken skin. “There, see? Just the horns left, alright?” Again, no response. He ran his fingers back through the dark line of fluff that topped the troll's head, gently pulling him forward so he could take a look at the metal that circled each horn. It looked tight, and there was no keyhole to remove either. Instead, as he looked close, he found the metal band on each horn was hings on the bottom, and screwed into the horn with two screws on each side. 

He would need better tools for this... “Can you wait here?” He asked, looking at the precarious way the troll barely seemed to support his own weight, and all the things he could hit if he fell. “Or... maybe... here.” He said as he lifted him down from the counter and carefully set him on the floor. He stepped out, hurrying to find a tool box. 

He returned a while later with a screwdriver and was both worried and relieved to see the troll hadn't moved from where he left it. Him. It. He took a seat on the closed toilet, pulling the troll over so he could get to his horns better. He started on the first screw and began loosening it. At this, the troll finally reacted. He let out a cry of pain, jerking away, and Dave had to catch him by the shoulder. “I know, you need to hold still or this will only hurt worse. I'm just taking them off, I promise.” The troll seemed to calm at his words, but he wasn't so sure if it was what he was saying that helped, or simply that he'd stopped touching the screw. He gripped the horn and started again, doing his best to hold the squirming troll in place as he finished removing the first one, cringing at the orange-brown blood that coated the end. Clearly whoever had done this hadn't cared that it reached the core of the horn. The next one went about the same, although the longer he worked, the more frantic the troll seemed to get away. He pulled the second screw out and frowned at what looked like a but of yellowed puss mixed with the blood. Whoever had put them in hadn't bothered, from the looks of it, to keep them clean. 

He took his time opening the metal cuff, carefully prying it from the horn and running a finger over the marks the metal had left before grabbing the cloth again and a bit of peroxide to clean the holes. Once he had them cleaned he looked them over, at a bit of a loss as to what to do with them. He'd heard his brother mention a horn repair kit once, but for now he opted to dip a bit of bandage in some neosporin and press a bit into each hole, then tape over the top to keep it clean and give it a chance to heal. 

He gave the troll a break before starting on the next one, and this time, he knew it wasn't going to be a pretty sight. The yellowish infection he'd seen on the first horn was worse still on the second, seeping out from under the metal. He set to work on the first screw, and before he could finish removing it, the keratin supporting it gave way as if it were pudding, and the screw came free with a thick piece of the horn still attached. Dave dropped it in the waste basket, struggling not to be sick as he removed the second one, fighting the entire time with the troll who was at first thrashing about, and had now settled with an absolute death grip on his leg, claws digging into his calf as he pulled the metal free and set to work at the painful and unpleasant task of scraping away the infection and cleaning the wound. “Is this it, huh? What's got you so dazed?” He asked as he chipped away at the rot until finally all that was left was a single deep crater in the horn, slowly filling with the orange-brown color. He blotted the blood away a time or two, trying to get the last of the infection that might have been in the immediate blood stream before he treated the hole the same as he had the first one. 

With an infection like that, an so close to his skull, it was no wonder the troll was unresponsive. How long had this been poisoning his blood stream? The creature was shaking now, and had yet to release it's death grip on his leg, so Dave sat still, absently running his fingers through the thick dark hair until finally, after what felt like nearly an hour, the grip loosened and the troll seemed to be fighting sleep. Dave stood, carefully freeing his leg and lifted the troll, carrying him to the next room and setting him on the bed. He rummaged in his dresser before pulling out a shirt and a pair of clean shorts. The shorts weren't a problem, he was able to slide them onto the troll easily, but there was no way he was getting a t-shirt over those horns, and in the state they were in, he didn't want to bother trying. 

 

He helped the troll into the bed before slipping into a pair of red pajama bottoms with a record print. He switch out the lamp that had been illuminating the bed before closing his eyes and removing the shades. “Sleep well, bro.” He mumbled to the passed out figure next to him.


	3. Settling in.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tavros tries to settle into his new home.

The next morning Dave woke to a loud thud. He sat up, shoving his shades roughly onto his face as he scanned the room for the source of the noise. At first everything seemed to be in place, but then a small sound from the floor drew his attention. Right, there had been a troll next to him when he went to sleep. He leaned over the edge of the bed, peering down at the troll who had misjudged the distance from the bed to the floor while trying to get up. The troll looked up at Dave, eyes widening in terror. 

“Uh, you alright...?” Dave questioned as the troll seemed to shrink into the side of the bed. 

The room, the face peering down at him, the bed- all of it was unfamiliar. The question caught him off guard and he could only stare blankly in response. Wasn't he in trouble for waking the human? 

“I...” The troll tried to respond, but his voice died in his throat as he remembered. Right, he'd been sold. He swallowed, looking up at the shaded blond that was simply staring at him, head resting on folded arms. 

It was several minutes before Dave finally moved, startling the poor troll who had been beginning to think the human had fallen asleep again. “Do you need a hand?” He asked, wondering if the creature even understood him. He rolled off the bed, landing on his feet next to his 'pet', which seemed to send the it into in a panic to scurry away from him. Which may have worked, if the troll wasn't missing his legs and already cornered between the bed and the night stand. He offered a hand, “I'm Dave.” He introduced, deciding to leave his title as ultimate cool kid out for now, at least, until he knew if he was wasting his breath. Besides, seeing the troll flinch at the gesture like it was afraid to be hit... that didn't leave him much in the mood for silliness. “It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you. Do you have a name? Or even speak English?” He asked, trying to get something out of his guest. 

The troll shifted on the bed, everything a bit sore, but at least he felt better than he had in a while. He remembered his horns hurting, his head getting clouded, and he remembered his owner growing increasingly violent as he became more and more 'useless'. His time in the auction house was blurred with more pain, and he only had very vague memories of a car ride and of the human who had purchased him poking around at his horns. His hands rose slowly to trace over the space where the cuffs had been, and he winced at the rough edges and apparent crater where the damage was. He let his hands fall into his lap, fidgeting with the fabric of the unfamiliar shorts- he'd never really been allowed clothing before. “Uh... t-Tavros... Sir.” He said hesitantly, his voice cracking. “I.. um... understand some... M-more than I... uh speak.” He stammered. “I... where is... my chair? Sir?” He asked carefully, hoping he wouldn't be in trouble for asking questions. With a new master came new rules, and he had no idea what to expect from this man. 

Dave blinked behind the shades, “Chair? What ch- Oh.” Right. He shrugged, “I'll have to get you a new one.” He reached out, tracing a hand over one of Tavros' horns as he checked the damage, “They're looking cleaner than yesterday, are they bothering you?” 

“Uh... no sir... just sore.” Tavros answered, on edge from all the attention and flinching at Dave's touch. 

“Enough with the 'sir' crap, I'm not an old man.” Dave said firmly before leaning forward. He carefully lifted Tavros over his shoulder, glad that the troll didn't struggle as he carried him to the bathroom. He was again set on the bathroom counter, and Dave set to work changing out the bandages. “Hold still kid, it should only hurt for a moment.” 

Tavros was struggling to stay still, but he instinctively pulled back every time Dave touched the bandaging, a spark of pain shooting through the core of his horn, and radiating over his skull. “Um... They're- AH- They're um, bothering me... now...” Tavros said, eyes watering as the bloodied bandaging was pulled from each of the holes and thrown out. 

“Man up, I'm almost done. I'll get a proper repair kit and fix them up for you tonight. They shouldn't bother you anym-- Tavros?” Dave barely caught the troll in time as he fell forward off the counter, landing against Dave's chest. “Hey, come on, wake up, it's alright- Look, all done, right?” 

Tavros stirred, registering the intense throbbing coming off his horns, as well as a much more comforting warmth that he was pressed into. He inhaled, trying to calm his racing heart, and distract himself with trying to place what it was he was smelling. It was warm, and almost electrical... but a bit spicy, like someone had spilled cinnamon in a computer. He slowly looked up before flying back, face flushing as he nearly fell in his attempt to put distance between them. “S-sorry!” 

Dave grabbed him by the jaw, pulling his face forward to look at his eyes, which were widening as the troll tensed, certain he was about to be beaten. “Your pupils are dilated, and you're skin is hot... you're still not doing very well, are you?” 

“Oh... um... I'm sorry, Dave... I'll uh... try to … do better?” He responded, looking completely lost as to what it was he was he wasn't doing well. 

Dave only snickered, “You damn well better.” This of course only added to the troll's confusion, unsure if he'd actually seen the flicker of a smile on that stoic face, or if he'd been imagining it. His new owner was anything but expressive, which made it impossible to tell what he was thinking. “Tavros...” The troll was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of his name, and he looked up in time to catch his own reflection in the shades. He looked like hell. “Think you could eat something?” Dave asked him. The thought of food made his stomach growl, and Tavros nodded slowly, as if afraid it was some sort of trap. “Great, let's go downstairs, I'll see what we have in the kitchen, alright?” He said as he scooped up the troll, a bit amused by how easy it was to just haul the guy around. 

Tavros clung to him this time, trying not o let his horns bump anything as Dave hauled him down a flight of stairs and into a spacious living room. The troll was plopped down on a couch, and Dave pulled the blanket from the back of it, wrapping it around Tavros' bare shoulders. “Rest a while, I'm bring you something to eat, okay?” 

Again the troll nodded. He didn't understand why Dave was being so kind to him. He'd never been allowed on furniture before, never been carried, only dragged, and food was only ever a reward, never freely given. He watched the blond vanish into the other room, what he assumed was the kitchen, and he snuggled into the blanket, struggling to stay awake. He looked up again when he heard Dave's voice in the kitchen, and a few minutes later he poked his head into the room, a phone to his ear, “Pineapple and ham? Or pepperoni?” Dave asked, having found nothing edible in the kitchen. Tavros stared blankly at him, the words meaningless. “On your pizza Tav, or maybe just cheese?” 

Tavros slowly shrugged, looking helpless and Dave ducked back into the kitchen, giving his best guess. As to what the troll would eat. Once the order was placed he returned with a bottle of water, which he pushed into Tavros' hands. “Drink up.” He said as he fell back into the couch next to the troll and turned on the tv. “Food would be here in about half an hour,” He said as he flipped on the tv, “How about a little entertainment until then, hn?” 

Tavros nearly choked on his water, and after a moment, he swallowed hard, and set the bottle aside. He knew what entertainment was, alright. He slid out from under the blanket and cautiously maneuvered his way into Dave's lap, settling against him. “Tavros, what're you-” Dave questioned, freezing as the troll leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against his neck, caught completely off guard. Tavros took the complete lack of response as a bad sign, and hesitated before sliding off of Dave's lap and onto the floor between his legs. Dave opened his mouth to argue as Tavros pulled his belt loose, but when the troll looked up at him with those big brown eyes, the the words died on his lips. 

The belt slid free, and Tavros easily undid the button, pulling open Dave's fly to reveal a partch of pale blond fuzz and a complete lack of shorts. Tavros leaned in once more, pressing a kiss to the exposed skin, palming Dave's length through his jeans with one hand, the other resting comfortably on his thigh. This was enough to finally snap Dave out of it, and with a sudden motion he shoved Tavros away, face a brilliant shade of red as what Tavros was doing registered, followed shortly with why he was doing it. 

The troll fell back and immediately sheltered himself with his arms, “I'm sorry- I d-don't know... how you like it...” He stammered, not understanding what he'd done wrong. He'd hardly done anything at all yet, and he knew his technique wasn't all bad, sure, his last owner had punished him a lot, but not usually for a lack of ability. 

Dave opened his mouth to explain, but for once, words didn't come easily. “Look... bro, I'm not... That's not...” He ran a hand back through his pale hair, letting out a sigh. “I didn't bring you here for an easy fuck, okay?”

“So... I should be... um, difficult?” Tavros questioned, trying to understand. Dave only shook his head and patted the couch next to him. Tavros hurriedly moved to obey, clambering back up onto the couch next to him. 

“Tavros, you don't have to do that sort of stuff anymore, okay? I might technically be your 'owner', but I'm not your 'master' or any creepy shit like that, alright?” Dave explained, hoping he wouldn't have to spell it out for the troll. The blank stare suggested that he simply didn't understand. “Just focus on getting better.” He said as the doorbell rang. He hesitated for a moment before getting to his feet to get the food. 

Tavros curled into himself, if that's not what Dave wanted him for, why was he here? He couldn't even walk on his own, how was he supposed to be useful?


	4. "So what happened to your legs?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tavros tells Dave what happened to his legs. Dave struggles to contain his rage.

Dave took his sweet time paying the pizza guy, mind completely elsewhere as he counted out the bills. He was still a bit rattled from Tavros' actions. Sure, he knew that was a common use for trolls, and he hadn't completely ruled it out, but after seeing how easily Tavros moved at what he took to be a command... he felt almost sick to his stomach. Every move was met with a flinch, and any kindness was received like the cheese in a mouse trap. 

He made his way back into the living room, setting the pizza box on the couch between them. When Tavros only stared for a moment, then pointedly looked away in fear of being scolded for begging, Dave sighed and flipped the box open. The troll struggled to keep his eyes on the 'ironic' floral print of the couch, but as Dave pulled a piece very slowly from the box, Tavros couldn't help but look over and watch as the cheese stretched to impossible lengths before breaking. 

Gray lips parted and closed a few times over as Tavros debated if he could get away with asking for some. This new owner seemed kinder than his last, but he still had no idea what would set him off, or if he had a temper. His stomach growled insistently as his wide brown eyes stared down the pizza, holding back a whimper as Dave bit into the slice and chewed happily. 

“What's wrong kid, you hungry?” Dave coaxed, hoping to bring the troll out of his shell a bit and give it the idea that it was okay to ask for food when he was hungry. Hell, the sooner the troll learned to do so the better, Dave had lost more than a few pets to neglect during his childhood and he hardly remembered to feed himself, much less another living thing. 

Tavros forced himself to look away, ashamed that he didn't have better self control. “Uh.... y-yes.... sir.” He responded honestly, hoping he wouldn't regret it. The second Dave moved the troll's arms were over his head again, sheltering himself from blows that never came. Dave waited patiently for Tavros to slowly relax and notice the slice that was being handed to him. 

When the troll finally reached hesitantly to take it, Dave pulled it just out of his reach, “What did I tell you about calling me 'sir'?” He asked pointedly. 

“Oh... um... sorry, you uh, said you weren't an old man.” Tavros corrected himself quickly. Dave passed him the slice and he took it happily. 

“Good, you learn fast. Eat that slowly, it's all your getting until I'm sure your stomach can handle food. If you can keep it down, you can have more later, but I don't want you making yourself sick.” Dave said as he grabbed another slice and vanished it as quickly as the first he'd eaten. He looked around the house as he did- it wasn't anything to extravagant, just a two story place, good sized, but not exactly wheel chair friendly. “We'll need to get you a few things won't we... a chair for starters, but you'll have to tell me what else you need. You know, to accommodate.” He said with a vague gesture to Tavros' missing limbs. “What happened to you anyway? Or do I even want to know?” 

Tavros swallowed the bite he had been working on, “Happened? Oh... my um... my legs...” He mumbled, visibly receding into himself at the thought. “My master, uh, I mean, my last master was, uh...” He hesitated, he wasn't allowed to speak ill of his master, or any human, which made it difficult to explain. “Strict. And uh, I was... bad. Really bad.” He said, looking anywhere but at Dave. “I tried to escape.” He blurted out the crime quickly, clearly ashamed of himself for the act. “I had only been there uh... two... maybe three weeks? And I couldn't- um, handle my 'responsibilities'. So I tried to, you know, leave? He caught me sneaking out, I was trying to climb down the cliff in the back yard. I ah... thought I could do it, it wasn't too far, but it would have gotten me into town... faster than the road. Well, he uh... found me, and wasn't happy, and shouted, and I fell, and I don't really remember but he said I broke both legs- and that it was just as well since I wouldn't be needing them...” He stumbled through the story, pace picking up and slowing down as he struggled to remember the occasional word. “Anyway, he um... tied me down and ah... removed them.” He said with a shudder, the sound of a bone saw ringing in his ears as he remembered. He set what was left of his pizza on the lid of the box, finding it less than appetizing now. “It hurt, but I ah... deserved to feel it... At least, that's what my um... master said.” 

When he finally looked up, he tensed like a deer in headlights. Dave was sitting motionless, mouth only a thin line, and eyes completely lost behind dark lenses, but Tavros could almost feel rage rolling off of him. “I.. uh... it's okay- I can, um, still.... do things! I can clean, and cook, and um, bedroom stuff, I'm good, I pro-” Tavros fell silent when he realized his words were only making things worse, Dave was shaking, and the thin line of his lips had parted on one side to reveal gritted teeth. “I'm sorry, si- I mean Mas- Um- please... don't...” Tavros wasn't sure if he was grateful for the shades blocking what he was certain was a level of fury he wouldn't understand, or if not being able to see it made it even worse. Whatever Dave was about to do, Tavros was certain the abuse he was used to was about to come back ten fold. 

When Dave finally moved, the motion was slow, hand raising as Tavros watched, frozen in place with terror as Dave's finger tips moved steadily closer until they brushed lightly against the troll's forehead, curling into the mess of black hair at the top of his head. How had Tavros' master gotten away with that? He knew the laws surrounding trolls were still new and very limited, but didn't that count as like... animal abuse? Or... something? “No one... nothing... deserves that.” Dave's voice was low and even, a hint of southern accent tainting his words as his slow pace stretched the syllables. “If you want something, you ask. If you need something, you tell me. You're not here to be a toy, I don't expect you to bend over for me. I don't intend to hurt you, and I sure as hell am not about to go removing limbs. Stop flinching every god damned time I reach for you, if you're in trouble, you'll fucking know it.” His grip was steadily tightening in Tavros' hair, not enough to hurt, but definitely enough to keep the troll's attention on him. “If you try to leave, I'll let you- if you really think you can do better on your own out there, you're welcome to try, I'm not forcing you to stay, I'm allowing you to. When you're well, you'll earn your keep, but until then, relax. Get used to me, and get used to your new home, and most of all, get used to my rules because they're a whole lot more simple than whatever the hell kind of shit you're used to. Don't steal from me. Don't lie to me. Do as your told. Easy enough, yeah?” 

Tavros tried to nod, but the grip in his hair held him still, so he spoke instead, “Y-yes.” 

“'Yes' what, Tav?” 

“Y-yes, you're... um... clear. Dave?” Tavros tested using his name, and was more than relieved when the grip in his hair relaxed and Dave's hand fell to rest on his shoulder. 

“Good. And Tavros?” 

“Um... yes?” 

Dave leaned in, eyes just barely visible at this distance through the tinted lenses. Tavros almost lost his words from the intensity of the blond's stare. “I am so sorry, for everything that man put you through. You're safe now, alright?” 

Tavros nodded, this time unable to speak. He'd heard assurances plenty of times, but they never meant anything. He wasn't sure why he wanted so badly to believe a human now, but so far, Dave seemed... different. 

“Good, now finish your pizza, we've got some errands to run.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm surprised to see people actually finding, reading, and keeping up with this. I mostly just started writing it for fun, I'm glad it's being enjoyed. ;u;


	5. Hopes Crushed.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our dynamic duo run some errands before ending up at Bro's club.

Tavros wasn't sure what to expect, after he'd finished eating Dave had tossed an orange sweatshirt at him, telling him to put it on over the black shorts. Tavros had spent so long staring at the soft fabric that Dave had assumed he didn't know how to work the zipper and ended up helping him with it. Tavros had worn shorts once or twice when he'd been taken somewhere where nudity, even for trolls, wasn't accepted- but other than that, he was never allowed the luxury. Now he sat in the passenger seat of a rust-red pick up truck, only half listening while Dave said something about the limo only being for work related things. His mind was still on what Dave had told him on the couch. 

“You cold?” Dave asked, suddenly enough to jar Tavros from his thoughts. 

“What?” 

“Are you cold?” Dave repeated, having noticed Tavros had pulled the sweatshirt over what remained of his legs, and had his face half hidden in the neckline. 

“Oh... no s- n-no, I'm fine, I just... um... smells....... nice.” He said,words fading as he realized how strange a thing that was to say out loud. Dave rose an eyebrow, but Tavros got the odd feeling he was more amused than anything. But then, it was still impossible to tell with those shades in place. “Uh... Dave? Why is... I mean, how come... can I ask, um, about-” He struggled with the words, English twice as hard for him when he was nervous. He had never been allowed to question his master, but if what Dave had said was true... then it should be okay, right? 

“You can ask anything you like, I can't promise I'll answer though.” Dave said patiently. 

“Ah-Alright... your sunglasses... do you always wear them?” Tavros finally put the words together. 

“Yup.” Dave answered briefly, leaving it up to Tavros to question further if he wanted to know more. 

“Oh.” It took several minutes more for Tavros to summon his courage to press further, “How come?” 

Dave's lips twitched in aproval, the troll seemed to be loosening up some. “They were a gift.” Tavros gave another 'oh' in response, still not looking satisfied, and Dave elaborated for him this time without prompting. “A long time ago someone special mailed them to me for my birthday. We're still tight, but he lives across the country.” 

“... tight... ?” Tavros struggled with the slang. 

“Close. He's my best bro, and my oldest friend.” Dave elaborated, letting one hand slip form the wheel to ruffle Tavros' hair when the troll looked ashamed for not knowing. “It's alright short-stack, you do pretty well for someone hardly allowed to speak.” The sudden motion of course made him flinch, which only reminded him that Dave had specifically told him to 'stop flinching when I reach for you'. He hesitated for a moment, not sure how to undo his mistake. He settled on doing just the opposite and leaning into Dave's hand as he wondered how long the human's pale fingers would play in his hair, and whether or not he wanted them to in the first place. The contact felt nice... everything from Dave felt nice. So far there had been no punishments, no beatings, he hadn't seen any signs of a whip and he'd noticed the cuffs he'd came with were all resting in the bathroom trash. For a split second he relaxed, only to have Dave's hand return to the wheel to turn into the parkinglot. 

Just as well. He couldn't get used to the affection, after all, Dave was a human, and he'd never met a human that didn't want to hurt him. His eyes widened as it dawned on him, Dave was probably the sort that liked to trick their pets... he'd known some humans to do that, encourage their troll to do something they weren't supposed to, reassure them it was okay, only to have an excuse to beat the hell out of them for doing it. It had to be something like that... he'd get used to being treated well, only to be certain that he'd know what he was missing when Dave decided he'd be more fun as a punching bag. Or worse. That had to be it, it was just a trap. Tavros swallowed, already regretting having let his guard down, even for a short time. 

“I guess I didn't think this through very well.” 

Tavros jumped so badly he nearly tore the roof of the car with one of his horns as Dave spoke, now from outside the open passenger door rather than from the driver's seat. Tavros had been so out of it, he hadn't even noticed the car stop, much less Dave's movement. 

Dave on the other hand, was more focused on how he was going to drag Tavros around the store without a wheelchair. Carrying him would just look ridiculous, and he wasn't about to make the troll walk all around the store on his hands. “Here, how about...” He mumbled more to himself as he grabbed a cart from the store front and wheeled it over to the car. With little warning, he hoisted Tavros out of the car and into the cart. First he tried setting him in the child's seat, thinking that he might fit, but it became apparent rather quickly that he would have to sit in the basket of the cart. Tavros hadn't made a sound to show his pain, but as his stubs jammed into the leg holes, his claws had dug into Dave's shoulders. “Shit, sorry, here-” Tavros settled into the end of the basket, facing Dave as he pushed the cart into the store. 

Tavros looked around at what seemed to be a basic department store, although he had no idea why Dave wanted him along for clothing shopping. If he really wasn't worried about Tavros leaving, why not trust him to stay by himself? Tavros nodded to himself as he collected hints to help remind himself that putting his trust in Dave was a bad plan. 

“What size do you wear?” Dave asked as he stopped to look at a rack of button up shirts. 

Oh... they were shopping... for him? Tavros immediately felt guilty for his last train of thought and he sunk into the sweatshirt, “I.. uh... I don't know. I've never really wear- um- wore... clothes.” Tavros would have bet money, if he had any, that Dave had rolled his eyes at that. 

“Well, you fill out that sweatshirt alright, in the shoulder's at least, you're still pretty scrawny aren't you...” Dave said as he looking him over, sizing him up. “Very top heavy, huh. What colors do you like?” 

The shopping trip didn't take very long, and by the end of it Tavros was swimming in a pile of clothes- button up shirts and shorts mostly. As they checked out the clerk gave him a scathing look, “Sir, we don't generally allow pets in our store, please, next time, leave it in your car.” Tavros shifted among the bags that were being placed around him, eyes trained on the vinyl floor tiles. 

Dave swiped his card wordlessly, a bit rattled at the cold reminder of what exactly Tavros was, and how society dictated he be treated because of it. His brother had worked with trolls from the time they became popular, and he was used to seeing them abused, but at first they had been introduced as a 'subservient symbiotic race that suited humanities needs as well as humanity suited theirs', but more and more Dave was noticing that description didn't really fit. The next store they went to wouldn't even allow Tavros in, never mind that Dave was looking for a wheelchair for him. It was just as well that the troll missed out on the clerks comments about how Dave was wasting his time keeping a cripple, and how the clerk knew a place where he could probably trade him in. It left Dave itching to show off his sword collection, but he wasn't sure why he was getting so heated... he was used to such views after all, but putting Tavros down...? The idea didn't sit well with him at all. He left the store empty handed, and the drive to the next stop was silent. Dave parked in front of a building with a flashing sign and music so loud Tavros could hear it from the parking lot- His master had gone to these... what were they... clubs? Brothels? Something like that. The flashing sign looked vaguely familiar, and he thought maybe they had stopped here on his first car ride with Dave, but he'd been so out of it, he couldn't remember for sure. 

But why were they here? 

He struggled to remember, they had been in a car... they... the other trolls, Dave had bought others and left them here... He straightened, suddenly putting two and two together, he was being abandoned at a club. The only place for trolls at a club was entertainment. He glanced at Dave who was preoccupied texting. Probably arrangements for payment or something... no wonder he'd been so nice, he didn't have to deal with punishing a troll he wasn't keeping. Tavros could only assume he'd only been kept in the first place to get his health back up... who would buy a sick troll anyway? While a brothel would over look his lack of legs, even they had standards. The care, the clothes, the food, Dave was just upping the value on his goods.

“Dave...?” He questioned, unable to hide the disappointment from his voice. He'd let himself get his hopes up in spite of himself that he'd somehow gotten lucky and found a kind master. 

“... Mm?” Dave acknowledged him, clearly distracted by his phone. 

“I... um... I don't want...” He sighed, fidgeting with the hood strings of the orange sweatshirt. He was kidding himself if he thought what he wanted mattered in the slightest. “... N-nevermind.” 

The truck was silent for a while save for the taping of Dave's fingers on the screen of his phone as he texted before pocketing the phone and getting out. Once more he pulled Tavros from the truck, this time carrying him on his back. Tavros rested his chin on Dave's shoulder, careful not to catch him with his horns as his eyes scanned the room they entered. The music was booming loudly and a few trolls were dancing in skimpy outfits on platforms placed at the corner of each bar, twisting their bodies around silver poles. The front room seemed like a fairly typical bar, which melted into a wide dance floor. Dave carried Tavros through both, the troll's attention falling on the main stage, not visible from the door, where several trolls danced nude, while others, all wearing the same skimpy waitress outfit (men included it seemed), flitted about, filling drinks and passing out menus where they were needed. Tavros could only imagine what the menus might be fore, given no one seemed to be eating and they were too thick to just be for drinks. Would this be his life now? Getting a closer look at one his stomach turned as he realized it was a list of all the available trolls and what their 'specialties' were. Given that he couldn't dance or walk drinks to customers, he had the sinking feeling he would be on the menu.

He ducked down again as they passed through another door, trying to avoid catching his horn on the frame as Dave hauled him into a quieter room. It was much smaller, with soft couches, cushions littering the floor, and the patrons all seemed to be enjoying at least one or two troll's company. Dave didn't linger, ducking instead down one of several hallways that branched from the room. Tavros didn't want to think about the assortment of sounds that escaped the doors they passed. Dave pushed open the last door which opened into a nice, but rather small room. A desk sat in the middle, and a few chairs were set up, and Tavros figured it was likely intended for interviews. 

“Damnit, he said he would be here...” Dave grumbled as he dropped Tavros in one of the cushioned chairs. “Stay here, I'll be right back. … … Seriously, you don't want to wander around this place, understand?” Dave stressed, not liking the idea of where Tavros might end up if he caught the wrong person's eye. 

“Where would I go?” Tavros asked with a sigh, wiggling his stubs to make his point. He couldn't run if he wanted to. 

Dave hesitated, not used to getting any sort of back talk from the troll, but he only gave it a moment's thought before ducking out of the room, the heavy door slamming behind him.


	6. Confusion.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter in which Tavros has no fucking clue what's happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay, I got really sick, then really busy, and then really sick again, because whatever deity exists apparently hates me. .-. This fic is not dead.

It was nearly fourty-five minutes later when the door swung open again and Dave entered, letting the door slam shut behind him. “God damn good for nothing...” He grumbled as he passed Tavros and began shifting through the papers on the desk until he found an intercom system. He straightened a crumpled piece of paper before hitting the button and reading it off, “Equius Zahhak, you are hereby ordered by your lord and master Dirk Strider to report to the first floor office, or else face further punishment.” He read off with as much disdain as his voice could hold. “And for the love of all that is cool, you had better be wearing some fucking clothing this time, do you hear me you sweaty creep?” He added before releasing the button. 

The response came quickly, sounding out of breath and rather uncomfortable, “Y-yes, sir.” 

Dave glared at the device and gave a small huff of irritation before beginning the rather daunting task of clearing the desk. While Tavros watched, looking a bit lost at what was happening. The name Dave had used didn't sound remotely familiar, but it was definitely not a human name. Maybe whoever ran this place didn't dirty their hands 'processing' new arrivals themselves. “S-... I um... Dave?” He questioned softly, having to repeat himself again a few minutes later and a bit louder before the blond looked up. 

“Yeah, sorry Tav, this isn't my favorite gig.” Dave responded, stuffing a stack of papers in a drawer. “What's up?” 

Tavros shifted uncomfortably in his seat, “C-can I... uh... can I k-keep the um... sweatshirt?” He asked, nervously tugging at the hood strings. 

Dave stared at him for a second, not understanding why that was suddenly a relative question. His first instinct was to say no- he loved that sweatshirt! But the look on Tavros' face changed his mind. “Yeah, sure, it's yours.” 

Before either of them could say much else, there was a knock at the door and Dave gave an impatient response, “Come in.” The troll that entered was huge, and dressed in a manner that left Dave wishing he'd been more specific about -what- clothes he wanted the troll wearing. The hulking creature was clad in pinstriped thigh-highs, black heels, a pair of tight black shorts, and what appeared to be a horse's bridal hooked up to a harness around his chest. He took cautions steps to the desk, clearly fearful that the thin heels would snap under his weight. He set a large box next to the freshly cleared desk, but Dave stopped him before he could go any further.

“Zahhak, are you fucking -vibrating-?” Dave asked as the sound reached his ears. 

“Yes sir, my master's... orders.” He said, already perspiring. 

“Son of a- Look, get the fuck out, loose the heels and the bridal, and -stop- vibrating before you come back in. You can't work like that, and I'm sure as hell not listening to your ass buzz while you attempt it.” Dave snapped, pulling his own hair as Zahhak stammered apologies and backed out of the room. When he returned a few minutes later, he wasn't alone. The man that followed him was impossibly tall, an unmistakably related to Dave. The same bleach blond hair stuck out form under a ball cap, the same ridiculously pale skin was dusted in freckles, and the 'cool kid' aura he gave was clearly parent to Dave's. 

Tavros looked between the two of them, trying to figure out what was going on as the pair greeted each other with all the heartflet affection that close family shared. 

“Dave.” 

“Bro.” 

Equius moved back to the box he'd been working with, setting the items he'd removed in a bag and placing them, to Dave's great relief, out of sight. 

“So you think he can do it, Bro?” Dave asked, eying the troll. 

“Don't get your panties in a bunch lil'bro, he'll come through for you. Fucker's sick in the sheets, but he's proven himself pretty useful in a lab too. You know his skills in robotics have added six new functions to my smuppets? Now they can call your name, stroke your xxx, xxx your xxx with their xxx, even xxx xxx xxx xxxxxxx-” 

“Bro, stop, seriously, this isn't even ironic, it's just sick-” 

“Xxxx xxxx, xxx xxxxx xxx. Xxx xxx xxx xxx xxxx xx xxxx!” 

“Stahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhppppp!” 

Tavros wasn't sure what a smuppet was, but Bro's description had him flushed a brilliant hue, and Equius had dropped the same tool three times during the course of the description. 

“Alright, alright, but I'm making you a customized one to celebrate their release.” 

“Spare me.” 

“What colors do you want?” 

“Donate mine to charity.” 

While they bickered, Equius had ever so carefully managed to break one of the bowls he was working with before pulling a spare from the box. “Master? I'll need the low-blood where I can reach, permission to move him?” 

“Better not, big guy. The squirt's already broken enough, he doesn't need your mishaps.” Dirk responded as Dave moved over to Tavros and carefully lifted him. Tavros, who was at a complete loss over what was happening, allowed himself to be set on the desk, eying the other troll with a look of terror. Why did this troll need to 'reach' him? 

“D-dave...? He questioned, eyes pleading for answers he doubted would be offered. 

“Well that's rather familiar, first name basis already?” Dirk questioned Tavros, looking to Dave to see if he would punish the troll. 

“Yeah, I didn't like him calling me 'sir', and only the most conceited of assholes would make their troll call them 'master'.” He shot back pointedly. 

“Oh, but -making- him is the fun part.” Dirk returned without missing a beat. 

“Gross.” 

Dirk laughed, “You're one to talk, taking in a cripple, what kind of fucked up taste is that? And what makes this one so special? This is an awfully big favor to be calling in over half a troll.” 

“Well he's -my- half a troll, gotta pimp my shit out, make him the coolest troll on the block. He's got to represent the strider name, right?” Dave said with a shrug as Equius mixed goo from two separate bottles into one of the two bowls, then halved the mixture between the two bowls and left it to set. 

“And you picked a cripple for that?” Dirk pressed, arms folded over his chest. 

“Hell yeah, gives me room to modify. Can't very well-” Dave was interrupted by a startled yelp from Tavros as Equius pulled him forward to the edge of the desk so his stumps stuck out. “W-w-w-what-” He couldn't even form the question before Equius had stuffed one of his stumps into one of the bowls, holding it in place until it stayed on it's own, the yellowish goo slowly solidifying around the nub. “I- I don't- why-” Equius repeated the action on his other leg, and Tavros gave up trying to vocalize his distress as he looked to Dave in hopes of an explanation. 

“I take it you didn't tell him?” Dirk questioned with a smirk, appreciating the look of panic on the troll. 

“Nope, it's a surprise.” Dave responded with a matching smirk that failed to leave Tavros with any sense of comfort. 

They stood around for a good ten minutes talking about Dave's schedule for the coming week, and the latest issue of Gamebro until finally Equius pulled the cured silicone from Tavros' stumps, checking the impressions. “Master, these are perfect.” 

“Cool shit, need anything else from him?” 

“Just measurements, master.” 

Tavros was jostled around a bit as his height and weight were recorded while Dave filled out a page on a clip board, occasionally asking Tavros seemingly random questions about his preferences to silver of gold, if he knew how to rollerskate or wanted to learn, and how tall he wanted to be, if he could pick. By the time they were done, Tavros had completely given up trying to figure out what this 'surprise' Dave mentioned could possibly be. Whatever all this was for, it was weird, and he didn't have a choice in it, so he let himself lie back on the desk, staring at the ceiling while the brothers talked about a pick up date, and said their goodbyes. 

“... b...bye Dave.” Tavros mumbled, assuming still that he was being left there. 

“What the hell are you saying goodbye for?” Dave asked, moving to the desk to hoist Tavros up over his shoulder again. Startled, Tavros flailed, nearly causing Dave to drop him before clinging to Dave's neck. “Come on, we're going home.”


	7. Moving right along...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm too sleepy to write a proper chapter summary. ;3;

They got out of the club fairly quickly, and Tavros paid little attention to anything other than the fact that Dave was taking him along as he left. He'd been so certain he was being abandoned there, but now that it was apparent that hadn't been the plan, he had no idea what had actually just happened. He hadn't been hurt or anything, despite the eerie company, but what did they want molds of his stubs for? He looked over at Dave who was driving, seeming to be zoning out to a Brittany Spears song he claimed to play for 'ironic value'. Tavros had no idea who Ms. Spears was, or what the heck Dave meant by 'ironic value', but he wasn't sure if it was okay to interrupt the music to ask what was going on. 

Three songs later though, he couldn't bear it anymore. “Um... Dave?” He reached over, hesitating before daring to brush Dave's shoulder to snap him out of his thoughts. 

Dave glanced over at him, “Yeah?”

“I... oh...” Tavros still wasn't used to actually having his master's attention, “Just... W-what was all that about?” He asked, “I mean, um, why did that troll t-touch my... my.. um... stumps?” He asked, growing more awkward as he mentioned them. It wasn't exactly a point of pride that he couldn't even walk. 

“You'll see, don't worry about it, Tav.” 

Tavros frowned, not satisfied with the answer at all. “Oh... okay.” He didn't dare press it, but they drive for several minutes in silence before Dave decided to speak again. 

“It's nothing bad, cross my heart. What's got you bothered?” Dave asked finally. 

“Um... it's... n-n-nothing.” Tavros said, forcing a smile. He didn't know how to explain what was bothering him so much. He was used to being treated like an object, bought and sold, but for some reason, thinking Dave was selling him had hurt in a way he didn't really understand. 

“Bullshit. You can tell me bro, you don't have to, but you can.” 

“Bro?” Tavros repeated blankly. 

“It's an affectionate term.” Dave explained. 

“Oh... d-does that mean we're... um, 'tight'?” He questioned, using the term Dave had explained to him earlier. 

Dave laughed, “Yeah, sure Tav, we're tight, so tell me what's wrong, huh?” 

Tavros took a moment to answer, “I... I just...” They pulled into the driveway, and Dave put the truck in park, but he made no move to get out. Instead he waited for Tavros to finish. “I thought you were going to leave me there.” He finally blurted out. 

“You thought wrong. It's not a bad place to be though, my brother gives trolls work to pay off their purchase price, then cares for them as long as they're there and helps them find places to go when they're ready to leave. It's nicer than it looks, really.” Dave explained as he killed the engine. 

Tavros nodded to show he understood, but he still didn't seem pleased with the idea. He wanted to stay with Dave... He knew it was dangerous for him to want anything at all, but Dave was kind to him, and funny- even if Tavros didn't always get the joke. That, and so far, he seemed genuine. Tavros had never met anyone like him. Dave took the silence to mean the conversation was over, and he got out and moved to the back to gather the bags from their outing to the store. He then moved to the passenger side and grabbed Tavros. It took him a moment to manage carrying that much, and by the end of it, Tavros was slung over his shoulder rather unceremoniously, but he sure as hell wasn't making an extra trip. 

He dropped Tavros on the couch on his way to the kitchen where he dumped the bags on the counter, “Hungry?” Dave questioned. 

“Y-yes.” Tavros answered as he pulled himself upright to peek over the back of the couch at Dave. 

“What sounds good?” Dave asked as he opened the fridge, and then the freeze, in search of food. 

“Um... I.. uh... anything, I guess?” Tavros wasn't sure how else to answer, the pizza had been good, but other than that, he didn't know what else was okay to ask for. The only thing he knew for sure was that he never wanted to see 'troll kibble' again, but Dave had made no attempt to purchase any. 

“Awesome, 'anything' it is.” He said as he pulled bread, peanut butter, jelly, and milk. “You're lucky, I'm an excellent cook.” He said as he slapped together a pair of sandwiches and poured some milk. He settled on the couch next to Tavros, shoving the plate and cup into his hands before making himself comfortable. Tavros in turn, shifted around him so he could eat without spilling. Dave turned on netflix, and the conversation repeated, this time about movie choice rather than food. 

“What sounds good?” 

“Um... anything?” 

“'Anything' it is.” 

Dave searched 'anything' and came up with the movie 'Say Anything'. Not his first choice, but he could get behind the irony at least. He put it on and kicked back, feet resting on the coffee table while the pair ate. Once the dishes were piled on the table next to Dave's feet, Tavros had already lost interest in the movie. The day had been long and eventful, and the troll was struggling just to keep his eyes open. Dave faced the tv, but his eyes were on the troll, watching with hidden amusement through the corner of his eye as Tavros drifted in and out of sleep, jolting awake every now and then and glancing at Dave, as if to see if he'd noticed. Finally, sleep overtook him, and Tavros was out. Dave's attention turned back to the movie, figuring he'd at least watch the rest before hauling his sleeping troll off to bed. 

Which brought up a new dilema... Tavros' horns were healing nicely, and he seemed to be doing alright. There was a bathroom on the first floor just as far from the couch as the one upstairs was from the bed, he could just leave him on the couch now, right? If something happened, he was sure Tav would get his attention somehow, but the troll had to be getting tired of sharing a bed... Well, maybe not, Tavros didn't seem to much mind anything about their arrangement, but Dave could only assume he'd appreciate a little space-

He was pulled from his thoughts when Tavros nudged his shoulder, “Hmm?” He glanced over to see what Tavros wanted, only to find that the action hadn't been intentional. The sleeping troll had slumped sideways, and the curve of his horn came to rest on Dave's shoulder. A smile tugged at the corner of Dave's lips, and he shrugged- Tavros seemed comfortable enough where he was. At least, until Dave shifted and Tavros' horn slipped. The troll fell, landing in Dave's lap with a start that caused Dave to jump as well. Quick to maintain his cool-kid rep, Dave instantly relaxed, trying not to laugh as Tavros struggled to right himself, uncertain of what had happened. “Hang on buddy, you're caught up-” He reached over to unhook Tavros' horn from the arm of the couch, not seeming to care that he'd left a small tear in the fabric. 

“Ah- I- I'm sorry- I didn't- I can sew that-” Tavros sputtered, still trying to get up until Dave rested an arm heavily over his chest, effectively pinning him in place. 

“Dude.... chill.” 

Tavros froze, but the blank stare made it evident that he was neither entirely certain about the term 'dude', nor was he aware of what the temperature had to do with anything. “.... W-what?” 

“It's alright, don't worry about- wait, you can sew?” Dave asked as the words clicked. 

Tavros nodded slowly. “I-if you have a needle and thread... I can... um, fix it...” He shifted, using Dave's lap as a pillow since the blond still wasn't letting him up and he'd been sitting with his head at an odd angle to avoid stabbing Dave with his horns. 

“Eh, later. It's not a big deal, this couch is old as shit anyway.” He said as he accommodated Tavros' wiggling in his lap. “Where do you want to sleep tonight? I mean, I'm fine with you in my room, but I think your alright now to sleep on the couch if you'd rather. It's up to you.” 

Tavros looked up at him with more uncertainty, trying to get some hint from Dave's shaded eyes as to what answer he as looking for. It wasn't usually up to him to make choices, but... He knew what he wanted this time, and Dave was just waiting expectantly for an answer... “I want to uh... sleep with you.” He said shyly, face immediately flushing as he realized how that had sounded, “I mean- in your bed- sleep- n-n-not – I mean, not that I would, uh, m-mind, that's just n-not what I-” 

Dave clapped a hand over Tavros' mouth, his own freckled cheeks a nice shade of pink, “Tav, I get it, you're just making it worse.” He said with an uneasy laugh as he tried to ignore Tavros' words ringing in his ears, asking to sleep with him- saying he wouldn't mind- Uhg, why did the troll have to be so damned- Dave didn't even know what the word he was looking for was. Tavros was anything from perfect, with his missing legs, spastic behavior, and awkward personality- he was hardly a stud and not really Dave's usual type, but something about him just... 

Dave coughed, definitely not letting himself finish that train of thought. “We should get you to bed then.” He said as he fell back against the back of the couch, finally letting Tavros up. When his lap was free of troll, he got to his feet and stretched before lifting Tavros off the couch and over his shoulder to haul him up the stairs.


	8. Reviving.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moving onward~

Time passed quickly, and fairly uneventfully. With Tavros' health returning, Dave was spending more and more time working at the club, first half days, then his usual shift, and eventually overtime. He knew his brother wouldn't be too worried if he paid back the money he'd put towards Tavros' purchase price, but he didn't want to owe his brother any more than he had to. He'd need to pay for the project he had Equius working on too, and the price tag would likely be anything but cheap. 

In the mean time, Tavros had been figuring out the layout of the house, and with some help from Dave's skateboard, he'd been doing his best to make himself useful. The place was gradually getting a bit cleaner each night Dave came home, and he had even made his way around the kitchen and started fixing meals. Given the sort of things Dave bought, most of them involved the microwave, but it was still nice to come home to food waiting on the table. 

As Dave's hours got longs, he got home later and later. He would find Tavros curled up on the couch, two untouched plates long since gone cold on the coffee table, and a movie waiting on the tv screen for someone to hit 'play'. Tavros barely stirred as Dave hauled the sleeping troll up the stairs and set him on the bed. He'd hardly spent any time with the troll over the past week, and for a brief moment he couldn't help but let his hand linger on Tavros' shoulder as he realized he had actually kind of missed spending time with him. He was half tempted to wake him, just to see that sleepy grin, but he pulled away. Tavros always seemed to be smiling at him, happy to see him, and disappointed to see him go when he left- and it wasn't just Tavros. He'd grown accustom to coming home to the troll waiting for him, and there was something comforting about waking up to find Tavros curled up against him. He was getting attached in spite of himself. 

He moved away from the bed, pulling off the green suit he'd been wearing for work. The discarded garments were initially strewn across the floor, but when Dave realized they were lacking the company of his usually sea of laundry, he felt a pang of guilt. Had Tavros cleaned up his room? The guilt grew as he picked up the garments and tossed them in the hamper, slowly realizing all the effort that entailed. He had to have gotten back up the stairs, made his way around the room, and- judging by the otherwise empty hamper- back to the laundry room... He pulled open a drawer for his pajama pants only to find the drawer nearly full of freshly folded clothes. He let out a sigh, pulling on his pajama pants and making a mental note to thank Tavros in the morning, as well as remind him he didn't have to so much. At least it would become easier for him soon. 

Dave was asleep almost as soon as his head hit his pillow, and morning came much too quickly. His phone went off, earning a low groan as he stretched. He reached over Tavros to his nightstand, grabbing his shades and phone and dragging them back to his face. Even with his sunglasses, the brightness of the screen was painful and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust long enough to read the text that had come through. 

“They're ready.” 

Dave sat up, opening the images attached and looking them over before quickly turning off the screen as Tavros rolled over and looked up at him sleepily. “Mornin'.” He mumbled before giving a wide yawn. “Are you heading out again?” 

“Yeah, but you're coming with me this time.” Dave answered as he nudged Tavros' head slightly so his horn wasn't pressing into his hip. “I'm going to get ready, don't fall asleep again, huh?” 

Tavros looked a bit uncertain before finally nodding and sitting up. He stretched, shoulders popping as he moved. He wasn't sure how to feel about Dave's statement. He wasn't going to argue of course, but the club made him more than a little uneasy. On the other hand, it meant he would be spending the day with Dave, right? It had been more than a week since they'd spent more than an hour or two together, and even while trying to keep himself busy with household chores, the emptiness of the place when Dave left was overwhelming. 

He contemplated why he might be needed at the club as Dave showered, steam escaping the bathroom when the door finaly opened again. Dave retrieved Tavros from the bed, not seeming to mind that he was only in a towel- A detail Tavros never failed to muss. He struggled not to fall asleep against Dave's bare shoulder as he was carried to the bathroom, the smell of the bodywash Dave used strong on his freshly scrubbed skin. They had something of a routine going now. Dave would shower first, then help Tavros into the tub. He'd pull the curtain to give the troll some privacy, and Tavros would toss his clothes out as he undressed and shower while Dave brushed his teeth, did his hair, and picked out clothes. By the time Tavros was done, Dave would be dressed and ready to help the now towel-clad troll out of the tub and back to the bed where he'd have an outfit waiting to be put on. Dave usually pretended to be busy checking his email and texts on his phone while Tavros got dressed, but he was always handy if the troll needed help, or got his horns tangled in the fabric. 

“So, uh... Dave?” Tavros questioned as he carefully did each of the buttons on his shirt. 

“Mmm?” Dave gave a distracted response as he tried to pretend like he wasn't sneaking the occasional glance at his half dressed friend. 

“W-why am I... I mean, you uh... you don't usually take me... with you?” He was still hesitant to question his master, but Dave had yet to get upset with him for doing so, and seemed to encourage him to speak up at every chance. 

Dave only offered a sly grin in response as he pocketed his phone and got to his feet. “Yeah, that's true. You don't seem to be a big fan of the club, so usually I don't see any reason to ask you to come- but I need you there with me today, alright?” 

Tavros was caught off guard by the wording. Need? Since when was he 'needed' anywhere? “I- yeah, if I'm, uh... n-needed...” He couldn't imagine what he might be needed for, there wasn't a lot he could do that any other troll couldn't do better and faster than what he could. What could Dave want from him at the club anyway? It wasn't like he could get around to serve drinks, or do much on stage that could be considered entertaining, and he didn't know the first thing about being a DJ. Security maybe? He laughed aloud, earning a questioning glance from Dave as he was lifted into the blond's arms once again. As embarrassing as it was to have to be carried everywhere, Tavros allowed himself to enjoy the few moments of closeness as he was hauled out to the truck. 

“You skipped breakfast.... uh, again.” Tavros grumbled as Dave set him in the passenger seat. 

“Yeah yeah, I know, I'll order something for you at the club.” Dave assured him as he got behind the wheel and started the engine. 

“W-what about you?” Tavros insisted. “You need to uh, also eat.” 

Dave rolled his eyes behind the cover of his shades, “Yes, sir.” 

 

Tavros shuddered at the title, “Sorry Dave, I-uh, didn't mean-” 

Dave nudged his shoulder, “I'm kidding, relax Tav-bro.” They pulled into the parking lot and Dave was quick to move to the passenger side and pulled Tavros onto his back. 

“Dave, w-what's going on? You seem, uh... eager for something.” Tavros questioned, not sure of what was going on. 

“Eager for 'something'? You here to work, or play, bro?” Dirk greeted them at the door with a wide grin. “Business first though, hm? Come on, I think if we keep Equis waiting any longer, I may not have a lab to go back to.” 

“Lab?” Tavros questioned from Dave's shoulders. 

“Oh hey, he speaks!” Dirk ruffled the troll's mo hawk with a laugh. “Come on dweebs, I've been waiting all morning to show you this.” They followed through the building and into the back rooms. Dirk lead them through the office and down a long staircase, stopping by a large metal door. “Your master's good to you kid, for a legless troll, you're pretty lucky.” 

“Come on bro, just open the door.”


	9. First Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter in which Tavros gets legs and Dave gets feels.

The door swung open into a brightly lit room and Dirk lead them to the back corner. Equis was tinkering with something on the counter, and a chair was set out under another bright light. “Sit him there Sir, I’m just making a few adjustments.” The chair creaked under Tavros’ minimal weight and Dirk raised the height of the chair to allow easier access. Tavros let out a small yelp as the back dropped and the footrest shot out; the visible straps on it were unnerving despite the fact that Tavros lacked the legs to use them on.

“Dave… what-?” Tavros wasn’t even sure how to phrase his question or what to ask about first, but Dave didn’t give him a chance to answer.

“Hold still, this won’t take long- and trust me, it will be worth it.” Dave assured him as Equis moved two metallic pieces that were unmistakably robotic legs onto the chair, using the straps to hold them in place. Tavros wasn’t sure what they were doing to him, but with a hesitant flinch at the feeling of something being set on the chair, he resisted the urge to sit up and look. Instead he tried to stay as still as possible, still listening for any hint of what was happening.

Dirk’s computer made a sound as he wiggled the mouse, settling at the desk next to Tavros, “Alright, this is going to be pretty uncomfortable, but it doesn’t last long.” He cautioned, watching carefully as Equis lined up what remained of Tavros’ upper legs with the base of the new robotic ones. He worked carefully, Dave occasionally offering a hand (if only to prevent Equis from hurting Tavros on accident) as they fit the prosthetics onto Tavros’ stumps. The impressions Equis had taken on their last visit allowed the legs to be custom made to fit, and Dirk had found a way to secure them with minimal hassle.

Tavros tried not to squirm as he was shifted around, tensing until the contact stopped. “Th-that wasn’t so bad…” He said, assuming that was what Dirk had been referring to.

“We aren’t done, hold tight.” Dirk responded, “Dave, you ready to see if this works?”

“If w-what works?” Tavros questioned Dave directly, panic rising in his voice as Dave moved to where he could reach Tavros’ legs. He rested one hand on each of Tavros’ legs, fingers finding the small metal plates that covered the power buttons. The was a light whir of electricity as Dave pressed them then secured the cover back in place. Tavros tried to be still, but at the odd sensation he couldn’t help but squirm. Electricity was tickling at his nubs in a way that was hard for him to describe. It didn’t hurt exactly, but it didn’t exactly feel pleasant either. The feeling changed as the electricity seemed to die down to a dull warm sensation that extended past where he knew his legs stopped. That… wasn’t right.

Unable to sit back any longer, he scrambled to sit up, hoping not to get in trouble for disobeying a direct order, but he had to know what it was that was causing the sensation. Sitting up proved easier than he expected as his legs were able to contribute more than what he had grown accustomed to; as a result, he nearly toppled out of the chair. Dave caught him, an arm lingering around Tavros’ shoulders as he let the footrest down so Tavros could get up.

The troll’s large eyes scanned down to the shiny new metal that met his skin, a soft layer of some sort of gel the only buffer. “L-legs?” He questioned, raising one to look. To his surprise, the leg- his leg- moved in response, jerking as Tavros panicked. “It moved!”

“Well, it would be a lot of hard work gone to waste if it didn’t.” Dirk said with a laugh, “try moving them both, kick a bit, make sure they move the way they’re supposed to before you try walking.”

“W-Walking? I can ac- actually… I can walk? Um, on these?” Tavros balked, feet twitching as he was still getting used to the feeling of… well, feeling. It was an odd sensation. He couldn’t exactly feel with them, but from what Dirk began explaining to him as he moved his legs, the technology allowed him basic movement, and the ability to sense pressure- if only enough to tell if he was kicking something or stepping on something. It was limited, and it was weird, but he wasn’t paying attention to the detailed. Dirk had mentioned walking.

Equis took over from there, giving Tavros very basic instructions- “Lift your right leg. Touch your right foot to my hand. Now your left foot. Now rotate it.” He went on like that for what felt like ages while Dirk made the occasional note on his computer, or the occasional adjustment to the metal, but finally Dave spoke up and answered his question.

“Yeah buddy, it’ll take a little getting used to, but with these… you should be able to walk.” He said with a brief but genuine grin. “Dirk, you about done? I want to see if you actually pulled this off.”

“No wait, d-don’t pull them off, I haven’t even-“ Tavros fell quiet, the expressions from the other three were enough for him to realize that he had misunderstood. “I.. oh… sorry.”

“Dave, keep a hold on him, he might fall a time or two.” Dirk advised as Dave helped pull Tavros to the edge of his seat until the rubber soles of the robotic feet touched the floor.

“There, try putting some weight on them.” Dave didn’t get the chance to instruct further, Tavros was already eagerly moving to stand, excitement clear on his face as he actually stood next to Dave for the first time. “Oh wow… Look, Dave- I’m st-st- Falling!” Tavros had tried to turn to Dave and the small action was enough to throw him off balance. Dave managed to avoid taking a horn to the face as he caught Tavros at the waist and righted him again.

“You fucker, you made him taller than me?!” Dave snapped at Dirk as he sized up Tavros. “What the hell?!”

“Where’s that Strider cool? I’m disappointed in you, short stack.” Dirk chided before Equis chimed in, “Besides, we only gauged his height from his arm span, it should be pretty close to what he was before.”

“I uh… I don’t remember being… this tall.” Tavros said, focusing on staying upright while the excitement had his head spinning.

“I may have added an inch or two.”

“Bro!”

The two bickered as Dave took Tavros’ hands, helping him to take a few steps. Time passed as they had Tavros walk back and forth across the lab, complete various minor exercises, and went through a mini ‘care lesson’ in which Dirk explained with the worst power point presentation ever made exactly how to care for both the robotic components, and the stumps. Tavros struggled to sit still through it, kicking his feet and trailing gray fingers over the sleek metal. Dave on the other hand tolerated the horrible flying letters and laser sound effects from Dirk’s lesson to make sure that he would know how to properly care for Tavros.

By the time Dirk was done, Tavros was all but asleep in his chair, legs still swaying absently. “I think that’s enough for today Dirk.” Dave said with a yawn of his own, “It’s been hours, and it’s getting late. I need to get home.”

“It’s only- oh. Yeah, I guess 3am is kinda late for a kid.” Bro said with a shrug, “Alright, take him home then.”

“You know he isn’t a kid right?” Dave questioned.

“Yeah, I know- I was talking about you.” Dirk cackled as Dave made a crude hand gesture at him in response.

“Alright, come on Tavros, I’ll give you a hand on the stairs.” Dave said as he helped Tavros to his feet and slipped an arm around his waist. He had been doing pretty well so far, but he was still a little shaky. Besides, Dave wouldn’t be able to haul the troll around like a stuffed animal anymore. He knew over all it would make life a lot easier for both of them, but he would miss having an excuse to wrap his arms around the troll. Tavros on the other hand didn’t seem to mind the contact at all. One hand gripped Dave’s shoulder as he stood, and he leaned slightly into Dave as the two brothers said their goodbyes. The stairs were tricky, but with Dave’s help Tavros manage them without falling. The club itself seemed to have died down some. A few people lingered, but most had either left or retired to rooms.

Once outside the cold air was a smack to the face after the cozy warmth of the club, and Tavros shivered as his cheeks flushed a soft brown. “Dave?” He questioned softly as a look of realization dawned on him.

“Yeah?” Dave responded, turning as he rummaged in a pocket for his truck key. Tavros hesitated a moment, tears beginning to well in his eyes. “Shit- what? What’s wro-“ Tavros cut him off as he wrapped his arms around Dave in a tight hug, burying his face in Dave’s shoulder. Dave froze, and for a moment Tavros wasn’t sure whether he would be pushed away, but to his relief Dave’s arms slid around him. They stood in the parking lot like that for several minutes, neither wanting to be the one to break contact. Finally, Dave pulled back enough to see Tavros’ face. “Why are you crying?”

Tavros sniffed, a little embarrassed now as he looked down at his feet. “I- I mean, this is why you’ve uh.. been gone, right? Like… during the week I mean.” He asked, “Thank you.” He finally looked up, meeting Dave’s gaze, “Thank you so much.”

“Don’t worry about it, just trying to help you start off on the right foot.” Dave replied with a remarkably straight, although now rather pink, face.

“W-what?”

“You know, giving you a leg to stand on? Helping you to stand on your own two feet? Go on, get in the truck, I take it you won’t need a leg up.” Dave continued, not knowing how else to respond to such honest gratitude.

“Um… I think I can get it, but would you… you know… stay close?” He asked, the jokes completely lost on him as he focused on whether or not he could actually get in the truck on his own.

The earnestness in the question didn’t do anything to help Dave’s complexion, “Yeah… of course. Always.” He said brightly as he opened the passenger door and helped Tavros in before getting into the truck himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (( Hi guys, I am among the living. ))


	10. Go on, ask.

The car ride home was fairly quiet- or rather, at least lacking in words. A catchy tune played on the radio as Dave tapped his fingers along, watching out of the corner of his eye as Tavros started tapping his foot to the music, startling himself as his foot brushed the metal of the truck and made a rather loud noise. Dave was almost proud of Tavros for not immediately stammering an apology, but the startled troll was already touching the metal again, as if to remind himself that it was really there.

He still wasn’t sure why Dave had wasted the time and money to do something so generous. Not only that, but for Dirk to take the time to make it- Tavros swallowed, he had been so preoccupied he hadn’t even thought to that Dirk and Equis for making it for him in the first place. He’d have to remember next time he saw them- or at least ask Dave to pass the message along. He still wasn’t very comfortable around the older strider and his sweaty troll.

As lost in thought as he was, the drive seemed shorter than usual. Already they were pulling into the driveway and Tavros couldn’t hide his grin at the thought of being able to finally walk around the apartment. At least, he was smiling until he tried to get out of the car and faceplanted in the driveway. Dave hurried around the front of the car as Tavros let out a groan of pain. “You alright?” Dave asked, extending a hand to help him up.

“Y-yeah, I think so…” He said as he looked over his new legs in the dim light, worried he may have already scratched them and completely unaware of the small scrape on his nose. Dave however didn’t miss it and promptly led Tavros inside to clean up the bit of rust blood that was beading on the tip of the troll’s nose.

“It’s not that bad, um, I’ve had uh… w-worse.” Tavros said as Dave blotted at his nose with a clean rag.

“I know, I had to patch you back up, remember? I might know your scars better than you do at this point.” Dave said flatly. “I don’t like to see you bleed.” He rinsed the rag, seeming satisfied now that Tavros had stopped bleeding. The thought of the dark grayish orange marks on his light gray skin still made Dave uneasy. After how long he had been left like that, there was little Dave had been able to do to prevent the scarring.

“B…because I’m bronze?” Tavros asked, assuming that was it, but also a little surprised. He’d never heard Dave mention the hemospectrum before, but if he was buying trolls… he had to know. “Is that why you- n-nevermind.”

Dave let out a sigh, leaning on the counter. “No, go on. Ask.”

Tavros was silent for a moment, wishing he hadn’t brought it up. And now of all times, after Dave had done something so kind for him… Even if it wasn’t entirely for his benefit, Dave could have saved himself the trouble by getting a troll that was… well, whole. Who was he to question Dave’s motives? Especially when so far he’d been nothing but kind to him. Tavros could list a hundred different reasons why he shouldn’t ask, but the question kept burning on the tip of his tongue. He took a deep breath, trying not to stammer this time. “I’m… a low cast… cripple. My own kind would… c-c-cull me.” He took another breath, “Any other human would… would do- has done- w-worse.”   
  
Metal creaked slightly as Tavros shifted his weight while Dave waited patiently for him to finish. “You don’t u-use me, or hurt m-me, or even need me. You’re n-nice and uh… you keep…” He struggled, “You keep doing things for me. Like… n-nice things. You don’t want to t-touch me, but you d-do... this?” He gestured at his legs. “I don’t understand th-this. I don’t understand you.” Dave was quiet for several minutes, his expression unchanging as usual. Tavros waited, but there was no way he could match Dave’s patience. “D-dave? Please, I um… I need to understand.”

The silence took over again but this time Dave broke it. “To put it as bluntly as possible, I don’t want to hurt you, I don’t give a fuck what color your blood is, or what other trolls might do. Other people generally suck, but there are some of us that don’t. Of course I want to touch you- more than that, Tavros- but I’m not interested in ‘using’ you like some sick toy.” His cheeks were flushed at the admission, but he didn’t stop. “I didn’t need you, but you sure as hell needed me, didn’t you? And frankly, now I’m not so sure that I don’t need you.” He leaned in, leaving only inches between them- so close that Tavros could see the glint of red behind Dave’s shades. “I care about you Tavros. That’s the ‘why’. That’s all there is to understand. I don’t expect anything from you, you don’t ‘owe’ me anything, there’s no ulterior motive- look all you want. I just… care.”   
  



	11. N/A

Tavros stared, stunned that Dave had actually answered him. He was still processing the words when Dave brushed past him, “Now let’s get to bed, preferably before the sun rises and makes it hard to sleep, hm?” Tavros gave a muted nod as he followed Dave to the stairs leading to the bedroom, pausing at the bottom. He had needed help before, but was Dave… angry? He couldn’t tell. Aside from the color in his cheeks, Dave’s expression was the same flat look he always maintained, but something was definitely off. “You can still opt for the couch if you would be more comfortable there.” Dave said, stopping on the steps, “I’ll pick up a bed for you next time I’m out if you want, we can section off part of the living room and make a room for you so you have some privacy. You shouldn’t need nearly as much help now, those things can’t be submerged, but they should be fine in the shower as long as you dry them properly after- and take them off when you sleep, your skin needs to breathe from time to time.” Dave rambled, although Tavros was struggling to keep up, his mind racing as he tried to piece things together. Dave was suggesting the couch, and a separate room… Tavros told him he still wanted to share the bed, but now that he didn’t have to rely on Dave for everything, there was no excuse for him being there.

Dave on the other hand, was having his own realization. Not only had he just processed more emotional crap in one day than he had in ages, but now he had to accept that he had just taken away any excuse he had to stay close to the troll. His troll. Tavros would have his privacy, and little need for Dave past food and housing. Even that, Tavros still knew he could leave whenever he wanted… Now that Tavros actually could, the worry nagged at Dave’s mind that he actually would. All of that was leading up to the one thing he hadn’t let himself realize until Tavros made him say it. He cared. About a troll. That troll, specifically. Tavros didn’t understand, and if he didn’t understand then Dave could only assume it meant his feelings- if that’s what they were- were one sided.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Tavros spoke up, “Yeah… o-okay.” Came a weak reply as Tavros took the hint. “The couch is f-fine. I um, I don’t want to in…intrude.” He stumbled over first his words, then his own feet as he moved towards the living room. Had he pushed Dave too far?

The blonde’s footsteps were heavy on the stairs as Dave headed up to his room, struggling to stay stoic as he all but slammed his bedroom door. How could he be so stupid? ‘Of course I want to touch you- more than that.’ His own words echoed in his head, how could he say something like that to Tavros? There was nothing to indicate Tavros wanted to be touched, and after his last master… what if the troll started being uncomfortable around him now? Of course, flipping out on hi didn’t help. Was that why Tavros had opted for the couch? “Damnit.” He ran his fingers through his hair, the tug at his scalp doing little to stop the growing headache. It was supposed to be a happy night- he had spent weeks working with Dirk, and for him, to help build and pay for the prosthetics, just to see Tavros light up over them, and to watch him be able to do things for himself again.  He’d managed that, but after so much time trying to get Tavros to open up, and after all the progress he’d made, it only took one conversation to ruin it and he had no clue how to go about fixing it.

He looked to his computer, mind drifting to his goofy buck toothed friend- any of his friends. John would probably be horrified that Dave had a troll at all, and disgusted if he found out Dave actually had an interest in one. John meant well, but his naivety left him vulnerable to the propaganda spread about their nature. Jade on the other hand was a little too ecofriendly. At least she was on the right side of the argument, but he would have to listen to an hour or two of her lecturing him for even owning a troll before he could even begin to explain the situation. Rose on the other hand, she was pensive, and quiet. She would hear him out, and probably have some good advice- but he knew she would enjoy hearing about it way too much. She always seemed amused anytime he let it slip that he actually felt anything and he wasn’t in any mood to give her the satisfaction.

Instead, he flopped onto his bed, not bothering to change or grab the light, and begged for sleep to take him and give his mind a break.

Tavros didn’t have the luxury of friends to call on. The only person he had to ask questions was Dave, and he got the feeling he had asked a few too many things of his owner. He curled into the couch running a hand down the cool metal of his new legs. He knew he was supposed to take them off, and they were already a little sore- Dirk had mentioned it would take a while for him to get used to them and that the pain would subside as his skin toughened- but he wasn’t ready to be a cripple again. Not when he already felt so vulnerable. He thought back over everything Dave had said, still trying to figure out where he stood. ‘Of course I want to touch you- more than that.’ Dave’s words echoed in his mind, playing over and over. More than that? Did he mean…? Really, what else could that even suggest? And to suggest that Dave needed him? If not for that, then for what? There wasn’t anything he could do that other trolls couldn’t do- and without the ‘upgrades’.

‘I care about you, Tavros.’

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first actual fan-fic. I apologize if it's awful.


End file.
